All posts for the month June, 2011

Well, maybe it wasn’t your mother who taught you manners. Perhaps it was your grandmother or grandfather, aunt or uncle, sixth-grade math teacher, baseball coach or neighbor who taught you how to say, “I am Sorry”. I know that–at some point in your life — someone somewhere taught you the basic fundamentals of manners.

Maybe you were too busy being “RUDE” to listen, Mr. 6:20 a.m. Marc train rider from Baltimore to the D.C. You know who you are.

I have spent a lot of time in New York where people are considered “the rudest” in America. Especially, the subway riders who cringe at the thought of a tourist asking them, “Um, do I need to get on here for the Umpire State Building”.

Native New Yorkers have seen it all during their daily commutes to work. At some point, they have become unfazed by the drunken passenger who falls asleep on their arm; the couple who makes out for three stops straight without coming up for air; or the guy with green hair, black eyeliner and vampire teeth who stares at them like he missed breakfast.

But I am wonder about this stereotype. Are New York commuters really the rudest or most “conditioned” to their surroundings? Take the nation’s capital, for example, the most “alarming” thing that you might see on your morning commute is some guy who decided to wear a green blazer to work instead of the traditional black. Oh, the horror!

I am talking about the folks who scurry along the platforms, push on the escalators, or bump you on the train. What’s your deal? If you are in that much of a rush, you should have left yesterday.

I am also talking about YOU, Mr. 6:20 a.m. Marc train rider from Baltimore to the D.C. When I said excuse me because I wanted to sit down, you grunted. When I sat next to you, you crossed your legs. And the bottom of your shoe sat on my leg for like 10 seconds. When I explained it to you, you did not say, “Excuse me”, nor did you rush to move your dirty shoe off my leg. When we arrived at Union Station, I said excuse me when I wanted to get up. You replied, “Well, can’t you wait. I mean we are all getting off here.”